§ Mr. Silvesterasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recommendations he has received from the 265W committee on gynaecological cytology concerning the age and frequency at which screening for cervical cancer should take place.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergI am grateful to the committee on gynaecological cytology for reviewing the ages at which women should routinely be offered cervical screening and the frequency at which screening should be carried out.
In its report the committee strongly reaffirms the present emphasis on screening women over 35, and recommends that smears should be taken from them every five years. After reviewing the evidence on risks to younger women the committee concludes that regular five-yearly screening is not required but recommends that smears should be taken early in the course of care for each pregnancy, and during attendance for family planning advice (a) when a woman who has not previously been screened reached the age of 22 or (b) at age 30 if no smear has been taken for five years. The committee considers that any woman aged between 22 and 35, who is not covered by the above arrangements, should be screened once if she requests it. For older women it recommends that, provided previous tests have had a negative outcome, screening should normally cease after age 65. The committee's recommendations affect only the taking of cervical smears for screening purposes; they do not apply to smears taken for diagnostic or investigative purposes.
I am seeking the views of interested professional bodies on the committee's report, of which a copy has been placed in the Library.